Il Pipistrello
by Ofaloaf
Summary: You know what would make a good opera? Batman. Italian heavily featured in dialogue


Il Pipistrello

(The Bat)

An Italian Opera of four acts, telling a tragic tale of crime and revenge!

ROLES:

TOMMASO CARRO

MARTA CARRO

BONFACIO CARRO (IL PIPISTRELLO)

GUISEPPE, a petty thief

UMBERTO & PAOLO, a criminal duo

IL BURLONE

CAPTAIN GIACOMO GORDERO, head of the city guard.

ALFREDO, the CARRO family's manservant

VITTORIA, a gossip and courtesan

Setting: GOTIPOLI, a fictional Italian city.

**PRELUDE**

Young BONFACIO CARRO and his parents, TOMMASO and MARTA, leave a theater. BONFACIO excitedly recounts the plot of the theater's show ("La lama, ha sete di vendetta") which grimly foretells his own fate. A common criminal, GUISEPPE, interrupts the boy's tale and demands the parents' valuables. TOMMASO resists, and GUISEPPE fires a pair of pistols, slaying both parents. Devastated and alone, young BONFACIO swears vengeance, revisiting the themes of his previous song in "La Vendetta."

**ACT I**

_An alleyway_

Two simple criminals, UMBERTO and PAOLO, recount their escapades and how they will celebrate ("Una buona notte"). While dividing the stolen goods from earlier, a bright silver sword slices through the loot bag. The sword is revealed to be IL PIPISTRELLO, who wears all black except for his sword and has been hiding in the shadows ("Io sono il buio"). Terrified, both criminals try to escape, but IL PIPISTRELLO stops them and binds them up, demanding information regarding the whereabouts of IL BURLONE. Instead of answering, both criminals plead innocence, coming up with a series of comical explanations for their ill-gotten gains ("Criminalità è una scherzo"). Frustrated by their response, IL PIPISTRELLO leaves, claiming that CAPTAIN GORDERO will soon show up to retrieve them.

IL BURLONE, a pale figure with a lanky build and absurd clothing, appears with a fit of laughter. He cuts off UMBERTO and PAOLO's binds, commending them for not giving away any information. Instead of talking to them more, however, IL BURLONE immediately begins rummaging through the abandoned pile of stolen goods that still remains, talking to himself ("Uccidili tutti"). Pulling out what appears to be a wine bottle, he laughs once more and turns back to the criminal duo, revealing a knife. Claiming that their services are no longer needed, IL BURLONE attacks as UMBERTO and PAOLO try to dodge his moves and argue against killing ("Questo non è buffo").

Just as they are cornered, CAPTAIN GORDERO appears with a troop of officers. Recognizing IL BURLONE, he admonishes him for his actions and orders his arrest ("Siete seri!"). IL BURLONE responds to GORDERO's accusations, mocking his ideals and the laws of the city ("Vita è uno scherzo"), after which IL BURLONE flees, laughing, with CAPTAIN GORDERO and his men in pursuit, leaving UMBERTO and PAOLO alone on stage once more. They fight over the loot and what to do with it, then leave.

**ACT II**

_Daytime, in the main square of Gotipoli_

BONFACIO, now an adult, is accompanied by ALFREDO, his manservant. As he enters the square, VITTORIA angrily approaches him and berates him for his lazy lifestyle and regular absences from social functions. They argue ("Un uomo come voi") and exit, and UMBERTO and PAOLO appear on stage in disguise, pretending to be street performers. Attracting a crowd, PAOLO performs a series of tricks as UMBERTO quietly walks through the crowd, picking pockets. BONFACIO and ALFREDO re-enter the square at this point, and BONFACIO recognizes the criminals.

He catches UMBERTO in the act of pickpocketing and calls for the city guards, but before any help can arrive IL BURLONE appears. He is attacked by BONFACIO briefly, but BONFACIO makes some obvious mistakes in the fight and is bested. IL BURLONE then walks to the center of the square, brandishes a wine bottle similar to the one from ACT I, and smashes it on the ground, fleeing along with UMBERTO and PAOLO as gas spreads throughout the square, causing everyone in the vicinity to laugh to death. BONFACIO is effected by the gas, but ALFREDO covers his mouth with a scarf and drags his master offstage, leaving a laughing IL BURLONE to reappear and reveal his sinister scheme to the audience ("Si ride è la mia vendetta").

**ACT III**

_Scene 1- A cave_

An ailing BONFACIO is laying on an altar in the middle of the cave, deliriously alternating between weak bouts of laughter and coughing. The spirits of TOMMASO and MARTA approach and demand to know what he has done with his life. TOMMASO circles BONFACIO's body, mocking his opulent lifestyle and laziness. MARTA then approaches BONFACIO's prone form, weeping, claiming that BONFACIO has dishonored the family and broken his childhood oath of revenge. BONFACIO begins to weakly defend himself, saying that he has always honored his parents in every action he has taken. TOMMASO angrily disagrees, causing BONFACIO to argue as strength slowly re-enters his voice, culminating in the revelation that he is the sword-wielding IL PIPISTRELLO ("Io sono la notte!"), causing the spirits of his parents to disappear.

ALFREDO enters, and BONFACIO begins discussing the matter of IL BURLONE with him. BONFACIO wonders what motivation the villain has, viewing him as a common criminal ("Un superstizioso, vile partita"), but ALFREDO correctly analyzes IL BURLONE and states that "egli vuole vedere il mondo bruciare." BONFACIO agrees, and wanders offstage to investigate and gather more clues as to IL BURLONE's plan.

_Scene 2- The entrance to the Villa Carro_

VITTORIA enters, loudly demanding to see BONFACIO. ALFREDO appears and informs her that BONFACIO is away. VITTORIA complains to ALFREDO about BONFACIO, saying that he is never on time for anything and can never plan ahead. Pausing for a moment, she then notes that BONFACIO is very good shape despite his lifestyle, and that he has dark streak that makes him seem much like IL PIPISTRELLO. ALFREDO ignores these accusations, stating that he doesn't understand what she is hinting at. Frustrated, she leaves just as BONFACIO arrives in the black armor of IL PIPISTRELLO, breathlessly declaring that he has figured out where IL BURLONE intends to strike.

**ACT IV**

_Atop an old Roman aqueduct that feeds into the city's water supply_

IL BURLONE is carrying a basket full of the mysterious wine bottles, gleefully laughing. Holding up one of the bottles, he serenades it and the poison contained inside ("Voi fate ridere il mondo"). Before he can open any of the bottles and pour their contents into the aqueduct's water, IL PIPISTRELLO approaches him and grabs hold of IL BURLONE's wine bottle. Neither one of them is willing to let go of the bottle, but both attempt to convince the other that their viewpoint is right. IL BURLONE revisits his earlier theme of "Vita è uno scherzo," pointing out some of the vast contradictions of society. IL PIPISTRELLO responds, stating "c'è ancora giustizia," that the apparent madness of society is still held together with justice and order.

Both IL PIPISTRELLO and IL BURLONE still refuse to release their grips on the bottle of poison. They deride the logic of the other and alternate between mocking and arguing with each other, their words slowly becoming more and more like the other until they sing as one ("Follia!"). Just as they finish singing in unison, IL BURLONE finally attacks IL PIPISTRELLO with his free hand, as IL PIPISTRELLO defends himself with his sword. IL BURLONE repeatedly tries to stab with his dagger with the intent to kill, but IL PIPISTRELLO only uses the broad side of his sword to injure IL BURLONE, refusing to ever draw blood ("Niente sangue per la mia vendetta").

Desperately wanting to draw blood, IL BURLONE attempts one last strike against IL PIPISTRELLO but loses his footing, falling, along with his basket of poisoned wine bottles, off the aqueduct to his apparent death off-stage. Exhausted by the ordeal, IL PIPISTRELLO sums up the tale, concluding that "giustizia è servita" and exits.


End file.
